Motor-vehicle driving assistance device which is optimized by synergy with an adaptive lighting system

• US 6,828,928 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Dubrovin, Alexis
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/318,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70-75, 342/81, 342/82, 180/210, 250/208.1, 315/77, 315/79-82, 340/930, 340/933, 362/40, 362/43, 362/465, 362/466, 362/512-514, 362/517, 382/104
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/36 Conjoint adjustments, i.e. a mechanical link allows conjoint adjustment of several units
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/00 Indexing codes relating to the type of sensors based on the principle of their operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 : Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93277 : in the lights
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/403 : in azimuth, i.e. in the horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 : Housing arrangements

Abstract

Driving assistance device for a motor vehicle, including at least one emitter of radiation toward the front of the vehicle, a receiver of part of this radiation reflected by a target vehicle, and control and calculation means for influencing the acceleration and braking of the following vehicle in accordance with information coming from the unit comprising the emitter and the receiver and in accordance with data pertaining to the following vehicle. At least the emitter is mounted so as to be rotatable in terms of the azimuth and means for driving the emitter in rotation are provided in order to modify the azimuth of the beam of the emitter in accordance with the curvature of the road. This beam advantageously turns by the same angle as that of the beam of an adaptive lighting system.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device for a motor vehicle, including at least one emitter of radiation for radar or lidar toward the front of the vehicle, at least one receiver of part of this radiation reflected by a target vehicle, and control and calculation means for influencing the acceleration and braking of the following vehicle in accordance with the information coming from the unit comprising the emitter and the receiver and in accordance with data pertaining to the following vehicle, characterized in that at least the emitter is mounted so as to be rotatable in terms of the azimuth and in that means for driving the emitter in rotation are provided in order to modify the azimuth of the beam of the emitter in accordance with the curvature of the road.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is mounted so as to be rotatable with the emitter.

3. The device according to claim 1 for a vehicle fitted with a lighting optimization system including means capable of providing information on the curvature of the road, characterized in that control of the rotation of the emitter of the driving assistance device is performed on the basis of road curvature information gathered by the control unit of the lighting optimization system.

4. The device according to claim 1, which is integrated into a headlamp.

5. A driving assistance device for a motor vehicle, including at least one emitter of radiation toward the front of the vehicle, at least one receiver of part of this radiation reflected by a target vehicle, and control and calculation means for influencing the acceleration and braking of the following vehicle in accordance with the information coming from the unit comprising the emitter and the receiver and in accordance with data pertaining to the following vehicle, characterized in that at least the emitter is mounted so as to be rotatable in terms of the azimuth and in that means for driving the emitter in rotation are provided in order to modify the azimuth of the beam of the emitter in accordance with the curvature of the road, wherein the device is integrated into a headlamp and includes

a rotary headlamp mounted on a plate that can rotate in terms of the azimuth about an essentially vertical pivot to ensure optimization lighting, and

an emitter mounted on the same rotary plate as the headlamp.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the rotary headlamp is an additional headlamp, in particular fitted in the protective moulding of the vehicle, and in that at least the emitter of the assistance device is mounted on the rotary plate of the additional headlamp.

13. The device according to claim 5, wherein the receiver is mounted on the same rotary plate as the emitter.

14. The device according to claim 5, wherein the receiver is mounted in a fixed manner in a housing situated at the front of the vehicle, preferably in the central region.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein an emitter is mounted in both the right-hand and the left-hand headlamp, on the corresponding rotary plate.

16. The device according to claim 5 for a vehicle fitted with a lighting optimization system controlling rotation in the horizontal plane of the headlamps, both toward the inside and toward the outside of a bend, characterized in that a single emitter is provided for the assistance device, this emitter being mounted either on the plate of the right-hand headlamp or of the left-hand headlamp.

17. The device according to claim 5 for a vehicle fitted with a lighting optimization system in which each of the headlamps can turn toward the outside to provide a BL function, characterized in that each of the headlamps is fitted with an assistance device and in that the unit is set up so that the active side (side of the headlamp which is in the process of turning) inhibits the assistance device on the other side to ensure that only one assistance device is used at any one time.

7. A driving assistance device for a motor vehicle, including at least one emitter of radiation toward the front of the vehicle, at least one receiver of part of this radiation reflected by a target vehicle, and control and calculation means for influencing the acceleration and braking of the following vehicle in accordance with the information coming from the unit comprising the emitter and the receiver and in accordance with data pertaining to the following vehicle, characterized in that at least the emitter is mounted so as to be rotatable in terms of the azimuth and in that means for driving the emitter in rotation are provided in order to modify the azimuth of the beam of the emitter in accordance with the curvature of the road, wherein the device is integrated into a headlamp mounted on a plate rotatable in terms of the azimuth about an essentially vertical pivot to ensure optimization of lighting, wherein the emitter is mounted on a different, auxiliary plate rotatable in terms of the azimuth about a vertical pivot, rotational control of this plate being provided by the control unit of the plate of the headlamp.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary plate is arranged in the same housing as the plate of the headlamp.

9. The device according to claim 8, which comprises a mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the plate of the headlamp to the auxiliary plate.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the

auxiliary plate is arranged in a different housing than that accommodating the plate of the headlamp.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein a device for driving the auxiliary plate in rotation is controlled by the control unit of the plate of the headlamp.

12. A driving assistance device for a motor vehicle, including at least one emitter of radiation toward the front of the vehicle, at least one receiver of part of this radiation reflected by a target vehicle, and control and calculation means for influencing the acceleration and braking of the following vehicle in accordance with the information coming from the unit comprising the emitter and the receiver, and in accordance with data pertaining to the following vehicle, characterized in that at least the emitter is mounted so as to be rotatable in terms of the azimuth and in that means for driving the emitter in rotation are provided in order to modify the azimuth of the beam of the emitter in accordance with the curvature of the road, wherein the device is integrated into headlamp that includes an additional fixed, pre-turned headlamp, the luminous intensity of which is controlled by a unit in accordance with the curvature of the road,

wherein the emitter is mounted on an auxiliary plate rotatable in terms of the azimuth about a vertical pivot, the device for driving this plate in rotation being controlled by the control unit for the luminous intensity of the additional headlamp.